Shoe covering



June 4, 1940.

J. B. FRANCIS 2,203,429

SHOE COVERING Filed Sept. 19, 1939 Cir Patented June 4, 1940 UNITED, STATES SHOE COVERING Joel B. Francis, Collegeville, Pa., assignor to Collegeville Flag & Mfg. 00., Collegeville, Pa.

Application September 19, 1939, Serial No; 295,669

8 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe coverings and more particularly to a covering for use in con nection with special costumes for the purpose of causing an ordinary shoe to simulate the appearance of some special characteristic type.

The general object of the invention is to provide a shoe covering of this type made of cheap material and which shall be simple in construction and easy to apply and remove.

A specific object is to provide an improved blank for forming such a covering, said blank comprising only a single piece of cardboard or the like. In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved shoe covering as it appears when assembled for wear;

Fig. 2 is a view of the flat blank from which the covering shown in Fig. 1 is formed; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

By way of example, I have illustrated my improved shoe covering as intended for use with Dutch costumes such as are worn for masquerade purposes. To this end, the shoe covering illustrated in the drawing by way of example is intended to produce an effect simulating the wooden shoes commonly worn in Holland.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my improved shoe covering is without any sole, but consists only of what is usually referred to as an upper. As above stated, the entire covering is formed from a one piece blank of relatively stiff material such as cardboard or the like, such blank being shown in Fig. 2. The blank comprises vamp portions I and 2, which are extended at the rear to form heel portions 3 and 4. The side edges of the vamp portions i and 2 are preferably curved as shown, so as to simulate the arcuate bottom of a wooden shoe, and also may be provided with notches 4 to simulate the front edge of the heel.

One or more score lines 5 are formed in the blank, at its center, extending longitudinally thereof. As illustrated in the drawing, three such score lines are shown, these being parallel and having long narrow panels between them.

Projecting from the front of the vamp portions I and 2 are toe portions 6 and 1, these being triangular in shape and disposed with their apexes adjacent but spaced somewhat apart, as shown. The triangular toe portions are connected along one side with the adjacent vamp portions by means of score lines 8. While I have referred to the lines 5 and 8 as score lines, it will, of course, be understood that I intend to include any weakened line along which the ma terial may be readily folded.

The heel portion 3 is provided with a fastening tongue 9, adapted to engage in any one of a plurality of eyelets l 0, carried by the heel portion 4. Similarly, afastening tongue I! is mounted on the toe portion 6 and adapted to engage an eyelet l2 carried by the toe portion 1.

To form the shoe covering from the blank illustrated in Fig. 2, the vamp portions are first moved toward each other by folding or bending along the lines 5. The heel portion 3 is then lapped over the heel portion 4, and fastened by the tongue 9, as shown in Fig. 1'. portions 6 and I are folded inwardly along the lines 8 so that they substantially overlap and are then secured together by means of the tongue I I.

It will be noted that, since the material is relatively stiff, it can bend in one direction only, and therefore all surfaces are surfaces of single curvature, and are substantially such as are gen erated by the movement of a straight line. This is well shown in Fig. 3, in which it will be noted that the vamp portions 1 and 2, at the point where the section is taken, present substantially plane surfaces. The same is true of the toe portions 6 and I.

By using such surfaces of single curvature and also by virtue of the fact that the fold lines 5 are substantially straight, producing a substantially level top, my improved covering is given an appearance which closely simulates that of a wooden shoe, and the general effect, in combination with a Dutch costume, is very striking.

What I claim is:

1. A soleless shoe covering comprising integral vamp and heel portions formed of relatively stiff sheet material, the top of the vamp portion being substantially straight and level.

2. A soleless shoe covering comprising integral vamp and heel portions formed of relatively stiff sheet material, the top of the vamp portion being substantially straight and level, and a transverse section through each side of said vamp portion also lying on a substantially straight line.

3. A soleless shoe covering comprising integral vamp and heel portions formed of relatively stiff sheet material, the top of the vamp portion being substantially straight and level, and the sides of said vamp portions comprising substantially Then the toe plane surfaces inclined upwardly toward each other.

4. A soleless shoe covering comprising vamp, heel and a pair of toe portions, formed from a single piece of relatively stiff sheet material, said toe portions being constructed to overlap, and each toe portion being joined to the vamp portion by a straight fold line.

5. A blank of sheet material for forming a soleless shoe covering, said blank comprising a pair of sections each consisting of a vamp and heel portion, said sections being hingedly connected along the longitudinal center of the blank, but unconnected at any other point.

6. A blank of relatively stiff sheet material for forming a soleless shoe covering, said blank com prising a vamp and a pair of heel portions, said vamp portion having .a plurality of straight,

spaced, parallel score lines extending longitudinally along the middle thereof.

7. A blank of sheet material for forming a shoe covering, said blank comprising a vamp portion, a pair of heel portions, and a pair of toe portions, said toe portions being of substantially triangular shape and disposed with their apexes 7 adjacent but spaced apart.

8. A blank of relatively stiff, sheet material for forming a shoe covering, said blank comprising a vamp portion, a pair of heel portions, and a pair of toe portions, said vamp portion having a straight fold line extending longitudinally along the center thereof, and each toe portion being of substantially triangular shape and connected along one side with the vamp portion by a straight fold line.

JOEL B. FRANCIS. 

